My Little Sparrow
by 0nesh0t
Summary: Since the day that Yasuo met his little sparrow, Taliyah, he never wanted to let her go. It had been so long since he had company, company that didn't want to capture or kill him. But there was something deeper than the relationship of student and master between the two. And even though Yasuo knew it was wrong, neither of them could try to run from their feelings.
1. Chapter 1

The wind howled loudly, like that of a beast in pain. His hair flowed, loosely, following the direction of the wind. The mixed scent of alcohol, and dirt could be identified.

"Yone, must it end like this? Between us two brothers?"

Yasuo knew the answer, and he knew that his brother wouldn't betray Ionia. If it were anyone else sent after Yasuo, he would think them a fool for blindly believing whatever lies the elders told. However, this was his brother, one of the most loyal Ionians he knew.

"I fear it must." Yone began. "I apologize, my dear brother."

Yasuo didn't understand why his brother apologized to him, if anything Yasuo should've been the one on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

A tear fled from Yone's eyes. "Perhaps if not for me, you would've never been led down this path." Yasuo couldn't believe what he had heard. His brother, the man that taught him patience, humility, and most importantly, showed him love, blamed himself for Yasuo's mistake.

What the others had said was true, Yasuo really was a mistake that could never be undone. But the man standing in front of him didn't agree. Tightening the grip on the sheath of his blade, the two brothers knew this would be their final duel. A duel neither of them could forget, no matter who died or lived. A duel that would haunt Yasuo for the rest of his life.

And after an eternity–and not long enough, their blades met. A cry of pain could be heard. Tears streamed down the living brother's face. Getting up quickly, this was no time to mourn. Yasuo would bury him first thing in the morning. And although Yone was gone, the memories of him would forever stay fresh in his mind.

 _He taught me the meaning of patience when I was just a prideful child._

 _My guide. My friend._

 _My brother._

…

Taliyah was lost, both literally and figuratively. The only thing she could make out was that she was currently in Ionia, and the feeling of nature. However peaceful the place was, she couldn't slow down. Sounds of Noxians and Ionian farmers made her hurry her pace, as she had escaped from the Noxian captain, his last remark to her being, "That power of yours was meant to destroy. You don't want to use it? Fine. Let it sink you like a stone." She couldn't look back, everywhere she went, destruction followed. Her mind started to think that the captain was correct.

Looking forward, she saw a mountain. Not sure of what to expect, she trailed to the highest point of the mountain, where the temperature was nearly three times as low as what she had adjusted to in Shurima. The cold breeze, which would've been welcomed in her homeland, was nearly tipping her off her feet. Reaching deep in her pockets, she grabbed on to a few stones, hoping for whatever heat she could get. Hugging herself, she only then realized how lonely she was. Even worse, her hunger had kicked in

Praying to the Great Weaver, Taliyah held her hands together, eyes closed, and wished for food. "A hare, a little bird, even a little mouse if one appeared."

As she heard a slight rustle in the bush, Taliyah opened her eyes. "Thank goodness" she whispered. She took out her makeshift slingshot and aimed at the mouse sitting still. Unfortunately, her arm felt jerky from the shivering cold which made her narrowly miss her target. Keeping her optimism, she managed to convince herself that more mice could be found nearby.

Finally finding it in herself to stand up, she got out the cave where she was currently staying.

After walking slowly down the mountain, hoping to find game, her eyes were attracted to another sight. In the near distance, there was a shrine, and in the shrine, she could make out the outline of a man who seemed to be sleeping. She gave out a sigh of relief, a Noxian would be constantly on guard, and just the sight of life made her feel suddenly less lonely. Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she vowed to investigate after finding food.

Unexpectedly, the ground beneath her started to shake and rumble, showing signs of an upcoming earthquake. However, no earthquake occurred, instead, once Taliyah directed her attention elsewhere, she saw a wave of snow crashing from the top of the mountain. There was no way she could try to dodge the avalanche. With nowhere to go, she focused on the earth in front of her, once again closing her eyes and praying to the Great Weaver.

 _Please_.

As the word crossed her mind, a blockade of stone erupted in front of her. She was protected from the danger of the avalanche, but the snow used the blockade as a slope to crash behind her. Taliyah looked at where the snow behind her went. The snow filled the shrine, where the man was, and all Taliyah could do was be a spectator. It took a moment for her to realize, but the horror of what she did made her realize she may have just killed a random stranger.

Taliyah hurriedly made her way towards the man's location. She got on her knees to attempt to dig the man out of the snow. Finally shoveling through enough snow to see the man's fingers, she forcefully grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him out. Hurting him a little bit would be better than letting him freeze to death being covered in snow.

"If you're not dead already, then you've got to help me" she pleaded while still maintaining her grip on his hand.

It was no use, she let go of his fingers and backed up.

She looked to the sky, as if to ask the Great Weaver, "What have I done?"

 _No_ , she thought. She couldn't let someone suffer because of her mistake. The wind was calm, almost as if wasn't there. Her resilient demeanor returning, she grabbed the man's hand once again. After what seemed like hours of fidgeting, the figure's body finally busted through the snow. Taliyah placed herself under the man's arms and carried him to a nearby cave. From the looks of it, the man was handsome, and had a faded muscular build. She blushed a little bit after looking at his face for a while longer. 

Finally reaching the cave, she put the man down. He let out a grunt as she placed him down.

He opened his mouth "Not… yet time to die."


	2. Chapter 2

Even though the man's voice had no impact, and his words has no malicious intent, Taliyah let out a slight yelp of fear. Probably because she had seen first-hand how difficult he was to kill. After no reply from the man, except from the closing of his eyes, Taliyah went outside to gather more rocks to give herself more warmth. She popped a piece of dry meat in her mouth–the meat coming from the man's pack. However, she didn't think him the greedy type, and it seemed he had a good amount anyway.

After obtaining a few rocks, she stepped back into the cave. She focused on the centric area of a rock, imagining the warmth of Shurima, and _her family_. She had dearly missed her family. Her father's remarks, and the atmosphere, one could even say it was to die for. The rock began to hollow, into a bowl shape. Looking at her newly formed dish, she was more than happy with it. Welcomed back by the groan of, "Like a sparrow gathering crumbs," which now seemed more like a growl, Taliyah snapped back, "Even sparrows get thirsty." The lonely wind had returned. Taliyah placed her dish on the stack of stones in front of her.

"You gather stones by hand? That's tedious for someone who can weave rock."

Taliyah could feel her cheeks turn a shade of pink.

"You're not angry, are you? I mean about the snow and the avalanche– "

Letting out laughter, the man grabbed the side of his stomach in pain, probably caused by his laughing. "Your actions tell me all I need to know" he said, still with the expression of a smile. "You could've left me out there to die."

"It was my mistake! I wasn't going to leave you out in the snow."

After a quick thanks, he returned to closing his eyes. Although Taliyah didn't like admitting to being wrong, she was also a kind person. The man was being way too unforgiving. As she opened her mouth, he held out his hand to signal her to stop. "Do not apologize," he reassured her. After inspecting her closely, he saw an ornament in her hair, unique, which could've only come from one place.

"A Shuriman sparrow?"

Taliyah widened her eyes at the mention of her homeland. She always knew the culture and history of Shurima was rich and probably told throughout the world, in the past anyway. "Yes!" she replied excitedly. "How do you know of my home?"

Ignoring her question, "You are a far way from home, little bird. What brings you here?"

"Noxus" she truthfully told.

Even with eyes closed, Taliyah could see his disgusted expression. Almost as if there were memories tying him to Noxus. "They-they wanted me for destruction. They had promised me that I could reinforce their walls. They told me they would teach me— "

The man exploded with laughter, much to Taliyah's displeasure . Catching her eye, he quickly stopped. "The Noxians," he said with venom laced, "They can teach, but only half the lesson." Taliyah looked at him puzzled, even irritated, "They wanted me to bury a village! To murder people! And after I escaped, I brought a mountain down on you. I bring destruction everywhere…"

Having seen the expression various times in his life, he could tell she was either angry or on the verge of tears. Going with the former thought, he continued to lecture her. "Destruction or creation? They have taught you destruction. They depend on each other to exist. What matters is your path, and the path we choose is up to us. It is the only matter we have a say on."

Surprised with the long speech, yet equally livid, "My path is away from this place. Away from everyone, until I learn to control whatever powers were given to me. I don't trust myself to not hurt others."

"A bird's trust," he began. Taliyah had already stood up and stopped listening. "Is not in the branch beneath her," he finished.

"Sure, whatever… I'm going to find some food. Hopefully, I won't bring the rest of the mountain down on you."

"My little sparrow, is it truly the mountain you seek to conquer?"

She felt another blush coming on, had he called her _his_ little sparrow?

"Ugh, who is he to teach me anything," she whispered to herself once she was outside of the cave.

Caught up in her thoughts, Taliyah had roamed further than intended. Feeling the presence of someone watching her, and wanting to impress her stranger, she called out, "More lectures?" No answer came, though. Turning around with a smirk, she instead saw a sight that she wouldn't have rather had than the man. A Great Ionian Snow Lion stood in front of her.

Twice as tall as her, the beast towered over her easily. "Get out of here," she managed to get out while pointing her slingshot at the neck of the lion. Not heeding the warning, the lion proceeded her stalk closer to her. Releasing her first shot, the stone hit the mane of the lion with a hard 'THUMP'. She looked for more rocks in her pocket, and nearby. Only one more pebble—which she let go of when her shivering fingers dropped it.

 _You gather stones by hand?_

Thinking about her family, her father, her mother, it was clear to her. But her fear held her back. She couldn't control her power just yet.

"Taliyah. You will return once you learn your powers?"

"Yes, father. I promise"

Babajan was unsure, but he let her go with a smile. Taliyah couldn't betray his trust. _No_. She had given up too much to let the lion stop her.

"I" she declared. "Will follow this path until the end!" she screamed with honor, and pride, the very atmosphere of the wind changed. Directing her hands to the stone beneath her, she felt the very earth rising. It was working!

 _Honor and pride._

…

Yasuo had been stuck in the cave for a long time. The freezing weather, along with the excruciating pain held him from moving. Even worse, she was stuck with this arrogant girl. What was taking her so long anyway? Initially a thought, it quickly turned to worry for him. Admittedly, he had seen a lot of himself in her. The arrogance, the sin of pride. _Too much_ pride. The control of a natural element. The hate of the Noxians. She was bold, courageous, but a juvenile. And he fully understood. He sighed, pushing through the pain. Following tracks down the snow, he finally saw the girl. From the angle where he was looking, she was quite beautiful and exotic, with skin tanned from the Shuriman sun. Pushing those thoughts out of his mind. He reevaluated the situation. It seemed this time she was the one needing saving. Perched in front of her was a Great Ionian Snow Lion.

But she didn't need the help.

"I will follow this path until the end!" she announced.

Yasuo couldn't help but smirk at the sight in front of him. She was a juvenile, but she was just like him. She needed a master, a friend, a guide. Someone who could teach her humility, when she was just a prideful child. Looking at his scarred hands, Yasuo thought about it. The memories of their duel weighed him down more than any cold could. She needed a _Yone_. And he would be that person to her. He sat down, enjoying the view. Only acting if he had to, he investigated the skirmish between the animal and the girl. "Finally, some company."


	3. Chapter 3

The man sat there sipping his sake while Taliyah sat next to him with her cup of apple juice that her new master had ordered. Annoyed that her master didn't think she was a mature woman, she grumbled every time he drank, while eyeing him. The man spared her no looks, instead he had his attention to the rest of the inn, as if someone was looking for him. Finally, he returned his intense gaze on her. Smirking, he told her, "This drink is for adults." She pouted, showing her annoyance. The serious demeanor came back. "You have to concentrate, you cannot hesitate. A sparrow spares no focus when flying." Their lesson that day had gone badly, with them both looking like beggars covered in dirt, dust, and shattered rock. "I could hurt someone," she said, staring at the man's new wound.

"Control can't be expected from a few day's practice. You've improved a fine amount."

His statement made her smile, before her insecurities ate at her again. "But what if I fail?"

"Do not fear failure. It is merely a moment in time. Move past it, and so will time. Remember, failure is the greatest teacher."

As her master said that, a man walked into the inn. "Welcome," the owner told him. "How may we hel—" The person disregarded the owner, rushing over to Taliyah's booth where she and her companion sat. In a hurried voice, the merchant asked, "Is that Shuriman?" Taliyah froze in intimidation. Assessing the situation, her teacher told him, "Why does that matter?" Laughing it off, the merchant told them, "It would've been rare once." Still scared, she stared away. "It's a bit more common now. Your cities risen and all that." Shocked by what the merchant said, Taliyah looked at the merchant in disbelief. "Really?!"

"All because your bird-god returned." Taliyah knew who he was speaking of. Azir, the heir to the throne long ago who was betrayed by a friend. She had heard stories of the tyrannical rule of Azir. No longer fearing failure, her mind strayed to the thought that she had to protect her family. Tugging at her master's arm, her companion looked at her. She whispered in his ear, "My city… it—it's back! We have to go there!" Sighing, but not getting to reply, a large group of men came into the inn shouting. Feeling panic in the room, most of the customers left. The biggest of the group stopped by Taliyah's table. "Murderer," he said with toxicity in his voice and a flame in the eyes.

"So, this is where you've been hiding. Savor that drink, it'll be your last." Following the captain's directions, Yasuo downed the sake with his eyes closed. Seeing the girl's confused expression, the captain explained to her, "Yasuo, the man next to you is guilty of killing a village elder. Our orders are to execute him on sight." Many of the guards had a weapon, some of them carrying bows as tall as Taliyah. Staring down the guards, the man—Yasuo put his hand on the edge of his blade. As quickly as Taliyah could register what was happening, what seemed like thousands of arrows and unsheathed blades came flying at the two. Deflecting all the slashes directed at him and using the wind to manipulate the direction of the arrows, Taliyah had never seen him like this. So focused and intricate with his movement. His skill was never in doubt at any point in the fight.

More guards came filling up the already full room. A whirlwind built up, stirring the balance of the room. The men couldn't react to Yasuo's blade. Streams of red painted every part of the room. At the end, only the captain remained. Bloodlust in his eyes… no. What filled the captain's eyes were fear. She'd never seen anyone as afraid, not since seeing how Noxus tortured their prisoners. The calm wind that resembled Yasuo was actually a deadly tornado. Although, she didn't fear him, even at that moment, she realized that if her master got angry, things would get ugly. More shouting could be heard from outside. "We must go," Yasuo looked at her. She knew what he expected. "Focus, Taliyah." Failure wasn't an option. Taliyah morphed the ground under her to become a wave, carrying them out of the inn.

…

Yasuo had time to catch his breath. But he knew it was almost dawn. And as more time passed, more fools trying to kill him would arrive. "They knew you… Yasuo." "That's master for you," he said, disrespected by the lack of honorifics. "We need to keep going," he reminded her. "They wanted you dead... why?" Yasuo stared at his hands. "The captain told you why. If it matters, I didn't kill the elder." He wasn't sure if she believed him, but he didn't care. There were people who trusted him, and people who didn't. Besides, she had helped him escape death like so many times before. It was a safe assumption to think that she thought he was innocent. He turned and walked away from her.

"What're you doing? Shurima is to the west."

Yasuo, with his back still facing her, replied, "My place is not in Shurima. And neither is yours. Not yet." Yasuo didn't want the journey to end so soon, but he also truthfully believed that Taliyah's training was incomplete.

"You heard the merchants; my city has risen. And with it, the emperor. They will ENSLAVE my family! You understand why I must do this. I will protect them."

"Does your Great Weaver not look over them? Your training isn't done yet. You risk your life returning to Shurima."

"And they are worth my life." Words of a prideful child, however Yasuo understood the honor of her words. Family… it was worth someone's life. Walking away, signalized his intention, Taliyah grabbed his hand. Blushing, she asked him, "Do you… want to come with me?" Yasuo hesitated. "I've heard the desert mead is quite good. But my path here isn't done yet. I hope your wings can carry you home, little sparrow." Once again turning away, Taliyah opened his hand and put a hair ornament in his palm. "That's a tradition, from my people. And this… this is a gift from me," she said as she kissed him on the cheek. Yasuo smiled, it wasn't a romantic kiss, more of a kiss that showed their bond. Taliyah pulled away from him with rosy cheeks. And without a word, the ground below her erupted.

Yasuo stared at the sight in front of him. "Taliyah," he called out. She looked at him, an expression as if to ask him what he wanted. "Does your home have enough space for an extra person?"

Yasuo climbed onto the surface that Taliyah was sitting on. "You—you idiot! I thought you didn't want to come! That's why I kissed you and gave you that hair ornament…"

Yasuo laughed, genuinely. He bundled his hair with the ornament, forming a paintbrush hair style. "You look cooler," Taliyah told him with a grin. "Well, carry us back to your home, my little sparrow."


End file.
